The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-01-14
WAR PAN0RAMAS.
METHODS 9Y WHICH A GREAT BAT
TIE PAINTING is MADE.

Work That Calls for Careful Judgment
and Much Artistic skill-Painting q
An Old Lady.
When battle panorama or cyclorama
Is TO be set up the material for the fore
ground is always prepared before the re-
ceipt of the picture The chief artist and
the mechanical constructor have superin-
tended the construction of the platforms,
following the irregular line indicated both
on the first lrawing and the panorama.
All the lumber that is used is treated
with composition of silicate, to keep out
moisture and TO make it fire proof. Hun
dreds of loads of earth have been carted
into the building; quantities of lumber,
trees both living and dead, together with
q collection of fence rails, bushes, sods,
logs, sand and a variety of camp equipage
are piled about ready for use. The plat
forms are the groundwork for the earth
and sod, which are very skillfully lned
to their painted semblances on the canvas
bushes and trees are planted; earthworks
and log camps ars built; everything is
done with careful intent TO make the
foreground and painting appear as one
whole landscape, and SO to join the two
in meaning and color as to make II nearly
impossible for spectator TO determine at
any point which is the real and which
the painted scene.
CAREFUL JUDGMENT NEE D.
This work calls for very careful judg-
ment, as it is necessary TO settle the exact
relation in size which real objects shall
bear to thpse in the painting. An ordi-
nary hat or cap placed upon the fore
ground near the canvas would seem pro-
digious, though the same hat thrown on
the ground near the platform occupied
by the spectator would not attract notice.
The entire foreground must therefore be
arranged to aid the perspective of the
painting, SO that when the panorama is
ready for exhibition even the artist who
has constantly labored to attain that very
result finds difficulty in realizing that the
scene spread before him is painted
upon canvas which hangs vertically but
forty feet distant from his eye.
The central platform is of course the
standpoint from which visitors will view
the panorama-and therefore the artists
are obliged to go to it frequently ms the
painting nears completion in order to OBJ
serve the effect and progress Of their
work. The floor of the platform is chalked
and rechalked with diagrams some re-
ferring to the panorama itself, but more
toillustrate occurrences upon other fields.
The stronS pine rail surrounding the plat
form is penciled all over with kindred
decorations, while scraps OF paper on
which are memoranda of incidents and
variety ot data, as well as names ard ad.
DIRE sses are pinned to the convenient tim
Der with thumb tacks
The artists paint steadily, every individ-
tod t,,
his own work, though never hesitating
TO ask or extend aid in some special direc-
tion. One artist, for instance, has an ex-
cellent figure of mounted officer, all COM
plete excepting the portrait, photograph
for which is pinned to the canvas. While
this artist goes to strengthen a line of
battle another one will rapidly paint in
an admirable portrait for the incomplete
figure. Soon another brush is busy with
the horse, while still another artist calls
for some special saddle and bride to be
brought to the platform that he may
paint the trappings.
PINNED TO THE CANVAS.
Now look Mt the back of the photograph
which is pinned to the canvas-a faded
carte de viste OF young officer; upon a
slip of paper we read the following: "Col.
h, now on Gen. Sheridans staff; then
captain, Gen. Thomas staff, II Az (mean-
ing the section H, square AZ, of the pano-
rama); "French cap. blouse, captains
straps--stafr--dark blue trowsers, gold
cord, cavalry staff sword, Mcclellan sad
die; shabrack-black horse; see sketch"
This instance will give an idea of the
way in which facts are preserved when a
panorama is painted by artists who con.
scientiously strive to make of the work
great historical paintinp
The question is frequently asked;
"What paints do the artists use in paint
ing the battle panoramasY' Only colors
of the best quality are used, such as are
used by an artist in his work upon fine
oil painting. The color is of course pur.
chased in very large quantities; as an in.
stance, for the panorama in which was
interested the rich yellowish paint known
as cadmium cost 5000, and was contained
in four tin cans, each the size of an ordi-
nary peach can.
The curiosity Of visitors to the various
great battle pauoramas seems to have no
end. Many suspect that an immense
plate Of glass is placed between the spec
tator and the canvas; and some persons
have even thrown objects with sufficient
force to go thrice the distance from the
platform to the canvas for the purpose,
as they said, of testing the glass. OF
course there is no glass nor any other
means of deception than the simple ar.
rangement here described. The largest
figures on the canvas are between three
and four feet high, though they seem to
be full life size
A certain inquisitive old lady visiting
one of the earliest of these panoramas--
1.-The Battle of Sedann helped herself
over the platform rail by means of con-
venient chairs and trotted down ali earth
road leading from the platform to the
canvas, where-alongside the painted
hgures-she looked like Gulliver's wife
among the Lilliputians. "Why! Oh,
myr' she exclaimed, 'look at these dear
little men They are only so bigr' hold
ing up her parasol near painted group
Of German soldiers which looked like
dwarfs beside her Great laughter greeted
her return TO the platform, where she re-
marked; ooh, myl how they do grow
when you get back, away from themr'
And this is the whole secret of the effect
produced upon the spectator Theodore
X. Davis in st. Nicholas